European larger too much gas

[AbbeyBeer]

Hi I am brewing coopers European larger at 13deg using a chest freezer. After two weeks my gravity reading is at 1010 but if I leave my hydrometer for about 20mins my gravity reading rises to 1020. And also there is alot of foam and gas in my sample. The last time I made lager beer it was without a chest freezer and temp controller. I was very sick and bloated after drinking it because of all the gas…so I thought using a chest freezer with a temp controller would remove the gas…but it doesn't appear like there is an improving. Please help?

[dadndave]

Your beer is still fermenting. You can't "remove the gas" It's given off by the fernentation process and will continue until fermentation ceases. I've never brewed at a temperature that low to be honest, so I don't know how long you can expect the primary fermentation to last but I'm sure there's others who can advise you. Sounds like you're worrying for no reason.

 

Not sure why the hydrometer is doing that but I suspect CO2 bubbles adhering to it after leaving it in for 20mins might cause a false reading by increasing its buoyancy.

[Otto Von Blotto]

Raise the temp up to 18C if you like, if the SG is that low it will do no harm and will allow some more of the CO2 to escape.

 

I normally raise my lagers up to 18C when the SG drops to around 1.020-23ish, depending on the OG. They then stay up there until a few days after they reach FG before being crashed to 0C for two weeks.

[AbbeyBeer]

Raise the temp up to 18C if you like' date=' if the SG is that low it will do no harm and will allow some more of the CO2 to escape.

 

I normally raise my lagers up to 18C when the SG drops to around 1.020-23ish, depending on the OG. They then stay up there until a few days after they reach FG before being crashed to 0C for two weeks. [/quote']

 

Thanks. I have raised my temp to 18C. Why do you keep it down to zero for two weeks after FG?

[headmaster]

Storing the beer at very cold temps is known as 'Lagering' coming from the German word 'to store'

 

This is how 'lager' was invented.

 

I'm a bit confused by what you mean gas. Beer is usually carbonated before drinking so it's full of gas. Are you saying your beer was overcarbonated, i.e too much gas?

 

To measure gravity, best to remove the gas from the sample, so the hydro does not float. Tip the sample 20 to 30 times between two cups or glasses to get the CO2 out of it to get an accurate reading.

 

Most lagers if designed correctly will finish quite dry, like below 1008. Easy to cold crash or bottle before fermentation has finished. For lagers, raising the temp up to 18c towards the end of fermentation helps a lot, as does rocking the FV if there is still a decent krausen on top, as in my experience, a lot of yeast can get locked up in the foam, especially if using a bit of wheat in the mix.

 

 

[Otto Von Blotto]

Thanks. I have raised my temp to 18C. Why do you keep it down to zero for two weeks after FG?

No problems. The two weeks at zero is a shortened version of lagering; I use it to drop yeast out and also to add finings to clear it up a bit quicker.

[AbbeyBeer]

Storing the beer at very cold temps is known as 'Lagering' coming from the German word 'to store'

 

This is how 'lager' was invented.

 

I'm a bit confused by what you mean gas. Beer is usually carbonated before drinking so it's full of gas. Are you saying your beer was overcarbonated' date=' i.e too much gas?

 

To measure gravity, best to remove the gas from the sample, so the hydro does not float. Tip the sample 20 to 30 times between two cups or glasses to get the CO2 out of it to get an accurate reading.

 

Most lagers if designed correctly will finish quite dry, like below 1008. Easy to cold crash or bottle before fermentation has finished. For lagers, raising the temp up to 18c towards the end of fermentation helps a lot, as does rocking the FV if there is still a decent krausen on top, as in my experience, a lot of yeast can get locked up in the foam, especially if using a bit of wheat in the mix.

 

[/quote']

 

Thanks Headmaster. I think I was referring to CO2. I was getting confused because my last batch of larger beer made me sick. I am not sure if I was drinking beer that wasn't finish fermenting. Your method worked and I managed to get a constant reading. So now I am at 18C and will leave it for a week and check the FG.